If you close your eyes and breathe deeply, in Girona you can already smell gunpowder and freshly baked brioche. I notice it every year as June 23 approaches: it's the sign that the Night of San Juan, the shortest (and most magical) night of the year, is about to light up the streets of the city.

The Flame coming down from Canigó

In the afternoon, anyone can come to pick up the Flame of Canigó: first in the parking lot of the Fontajau Pavilion (17:00-18:00) and then in the Plaça del Vi (18:00-19:00). From there, the flame parades up to the bell tower of the cathedral and its symbolic fire is spread throughout the city to light bonfires and lanterns. It is a ritual that moves me: you see families, youth groups and cultural entities carrying the fire with care, aware that they carry a piece of shared tradition.

Verbena popular in Fontajau

When the sun goes down, I head to Guingueta Park, in the neighborhood of Fontajau. From 21:30 live music invites you to dance, cold cava and coca for everyone, and at 22:00 a large bonfire makes the air tremble with heat and childhood memories. It's my favorite way to experience the verbena: big enough to feel very alive, but small enough not to lose the warmth of the neighborhood.

Firecrackers -with heads- and wishes to the fire

I am fascinated by this very Catalan combination of noise and meaning we light firecrackers to scare away evil spirits while we write wishes on small pieces of paper that we throw into the fire so that the flames make them fly. If you buy firecrackers, light them in open spaces and away from green areas: Gironès is beautiful, and it is worth taking care of every pine and oak tree.

The queen of the table: the coca de San Juan

The festival would not be the same without the coca de San Juan. This year, the national contest has awarded five coques: the traditional one with candied fruit (Forneria Morreig, Barcelona), the one with cream and pine nuts (Fleca Rovira, Vallès), the one with cracklings (Forn el Racó, Granollers), the one with chocolate, and the creative of the year. A tribute to the ingenuity of the bakers who, year after year, shape this spongy wonder.

But you don't have to go far to enjoy it: very close to the Barri Vell you will find ovens that make versions with candied fruit, burnt cream or chocolate from the Ter valley. I usually buy a couple - a classic one to keep the tradition and another chocolate one “just in case” - and I share them with friends at the end of the night.

Gourmet recommendations to start (or end) the evening

Below, I share with you what I enjoyed myself:

- A light dinner on the terrace of Restaurant Blanc

Just in front of the reception of the Hotel Ciutat de Girona, on the street level, is the terrace of Restaurant Blanc. Its Mediterranean cuisine, based on local produce with a contemporary twist, is perfect for the verbena. The dinner service starts at 19:30, ideal to take strength before the bonfire or, if you prefer, to meet again later and close the night.

- A bite of proximity in La Miranda

If you are already in the “Barri Vell”, a few minutes’ walk away you have La Miranda: bravas with smoked sauce, truffle croquettes and cod au gratin with oak honey. They are open until 23:00, ideal to extend the evening when the fire has already been extinguished.

A traveler's tip

If you come to Girona for San Juan, reserve a moment to walk along the Onyar river before nightfall: the colorful facades are lit with summer light and, for a moment, everything seems suspended. Then you can join the party or watch it from a distance: there is magic in both options.

May the fire purify you; may the coca sweeten you and may the night give you memories that will last all year long: we'll see you among sparks and smiles, toasting to the new beginnings that summer always brings!

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Iona Webster

A culture-loving Scot, voluntarily lost in the world. Travel blogger for Hotel Ciutat de Girona.

Midsummer's Eve in Girona: fire, coca and summer magic

Midsummer's Eve in Girona: fire, coca and summer magic